by S. W. Frank
Carlo loved her and Giuseppe was by all rights his son, but when the curtain came down, it bared the naked truth. A secret Alberti always knew of her, yet never spoke to her face. Giuseppe and Alfonzo shared the blue eyes of their father and the temperament of their mothers. Giuseppe was given his birthright and brought hell upon them with his actions of late. Alfonzo on the other-hand had a tactician’s mind and a leader’s heart. He understood the power of compassion and the time when to wage war. Giuseppe lacked this capacity and excited in chaos. They were as different as men could be except they shared a common bond. The blood of Luzo Palazzo, Sergio Giacanti’s firstborn son, Salvatore Pietro Giacanti. Someone, perhaps Benaducci discovered the truth and sought to wipe the brothers out. Their influence here and in America had become too great and they sought to purge their lineage until the oceans ran red with the Giacanti blood.
****
The rain decided to visit Puerto Rico and beat at the soil like an angry farmer. Selange had put the children to bed and went to her bedroom to read. She tried not to entertain thoughts of the perils facing Alfonzo and sought a distraction of literature instead. Ariana kept a distance through-out the evening and as night fell, Selange wondered if the woman was okay or if she’d gotten word of her son. She could not fathom the woman’s anxiety and wished she could go to her and offer a kind word of comfort, but under the circumstances, it was best to give her space.
She had reached chapter three in a romance novel when a tap at the door drew her attention. It must be Anita or Maria, undoubtedly. “Come in,” she said as she marked the page and sat the book down beside her.
The door opened and Ariana stood there, “Look, I just came to apologize for upsetting your kids. Maria’s right, they shouldn’t be brought in the middle of it.”
Selange was shocked, no flabbergasted and mumbled, “Thank you, Ariana.”
“And for all it’s worth, I blame Nico too, for what happened. All the blame doesn’t go to you. He was my husband, he should’ve thought of me and the boys. If I meant anything to him, he would have.”
Selange sighed, “And as a woman who has made a horrible…horrible mistake I am really sorry that I didn’t think about anyone’s feelings but mine.”
Ariana nodded and walked to the foot of the large, utterly, awesome and comfortable looking bed. Geez, this woman had it made. The thought posed itself into a question. A woman who had all of this and a seemingly adoring husband, what in the world could make her throw it all away for a fling? She asked just that, “Why, I’m just curious Selange as to the why of the affair?”
“Have you ever seen a dead body of someone you loved?”
Ariana frowned. She sat down at the edge of the bed wondering where this was leading. Of course she had. She’d gone to several funerals of elderly or sick relatives. “Yes, I have.”
Selange’s eyes were burning through the woman like fire, “I mean violent death, up close and raw.”
“You mean like a homicide or terrible accident?”
“Yes.”
“Then no, I haven’t.”
“I have.” Selange closed her eyes momentarily and the image was there; less vivid, yet there nonetheless. “When I found my mom and my stepdad, whew, nothing on earth prepares you for a sight like that. I thought it was a nightmare and I’d wake up and find it was a bad dream, but I never woke up Ariana. The nightmare kept coming. I never told Alfonzo how bad they were; he had nightmares of his own. I should have went for counseling when I think about it, maybe I could have healed a long time ago before I caused everyone so much pain and suffering but I didn’t. When I went to Nico, I swear Ariana…” she dropped her head in shame, “I swear I wasn’t thinking. It was the anniversary of my mom’s death and it came at me so strong I couldn’t breathe and I was trembling so bad I just wanted it gone. I sunk low that night and when Nico and I you know, it was because he felt sorry for me but then we’d crossed the line and I was so far gone that I didn’t care about the consequences. I’d fucked up so bad it didn’t matter whether it was once or twice, to me I was in hell and Nico was all that was keeping me from burning. Then when I found out I was pregnant with twins I couldn’t escape what I did and was so ashamed and disgusted with myself I stopped caring about anybody. The moral, self-righteous woman who married a mobster was living a life of hypocrisy. I was not as good or strong as I thought and I let Nico become my weakness.” Her eyes watered, “Nico was my friend and I brought him into my nightmare and destroyed your marriage and mine. I got Vincent killed and every day Ariana I feel such shame. When I see Alfonzo and when I think about you, I hurt, I do, it bleeds me, but how long can I punish myself? How long can I allow other people to punish me? I know you’ll never forgive me for what I did Ariana. I hurt you and again I’m sorry, but I can’t suffer forever even if everyone wants me to. I’m living with my mistake is all I’m doing. So, when you see me and think I don’t feel shame or guilt it’s not true, it’s only that there comes a point when I can stay trapped in the past or get the fuck up and fight for myself and for Alfonzo. I’ll never hurt him or fall so low that I burn down my house. Alfonzo and I are working through our issues. He’s willing to do that because he loves me and he knows my heart is with him. What you and Nico decide is totally up to you, but he loves you Ariana and no answer I give will ever satisfy an unforgiving heart.”
Ariana listened, soaking in the woman’s words, finding some peace in the why and actually seeing for the first time the torment in Selange’s eyes. Yes, she had committed a terrible moral crime, despicable, especially for the wounded spouse, yet she was right. No answer satisfied an injured mate. The emotional toll was enormous and even stirred feelings of hate, self-recrimination and blame. Yes, the woman was right to go on with her life, what else was she supposed to do, slice her wrists? No, if she learned and grew from the experience, isn’t that the path to wisdom? Ariana had gone on with her life after the divorce. She met Gregory. He was smart, charming and stable. So, she believed.
Ariana weighed the crimes. Which is worse, a cheating hit-man husband versus a man who manipulates your affections then kidnaps your kid? She’d let a man into her life who she didn’t really know and her child was now a victim of it. She would not share this with the Selange. This life lesson, she’d carry always and just like the woman sitting there, never make the same mistake again. Ah, goodness, she picked some winners, huh?
Since they were in this ‘reveal moment’, Ariana did share Darren’s phone call, “My son managed to contact me.”
“Darren?”
“Um-hum.”
Selange’s head snapped upright, “Is he okay, do the guys have him, are they coming home?”
The questions came out in a string and Ariana frowned. The hard as nails attorney softened to mush, “He called me from the kidnapper’s cell phone. He was going to attempt an escape. I couldn’t sit in there waiting, it was driving me crazy.” She smiled wryly at the irony. “I guess I came in here for comfort.”
Selange smiled, “And we’re on a bed,” she jumped to her feet, “before anything happens let’s get out of here and raid the fridge for ice-cream and watch a comedy. We can wait together for your son’s call.”
“It might be just what I need.”
“Okay, then we call a truce until your son is home then you go back to hating me for all eternity.”
Ariana studied the woman and actually chuckled. She felt like she was back in college, in a dorm with a roommate who was not a friend but one she co-existed with for the sake of necessity. No, she and Selange could never be friends but there was a newfound respect for the woman. She did have a generous heart despite her other obvious shortcoming and she appreciated what the woman was doing. Ariana smirked. She totally underestimated the woman’s intelligence by assuming someone so gorgeous could not possibly have a brain, but she was wrong. Selange was far from a fool. Her attempt at a distraction was definitely working. Ice-cream and a comedy were far better than solitude and anxious waiting.
Ariana stood, “You have any chocolate?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The car came to a stop. Alfonzo was crouched low and Aaron’s feet struck him in the face. He pushed his foot aside and when he heard, “It’s clear, I don’t see anybody ‘Fonzo,” he directed the boy to open the door and to step out slowly.
Teresa shut the engine and tossed the key to Alfonzo and he shoved it in his pocket.
Aaron did as instructed and kept his eyes straight ahead as Alfonzo slid down to the ground and went underneath the car. Giuseppe was doing the same. When they were out of sight, Aaron closed the door and walked to Teresa. They were visually, mother and son to anyone watching.
From Alfonzo’s vantage point he could see their feet then they disappeared from view. The cousins waited and listened. It didn’t take long for a car to park on side of the SUV. There were mumbled words being spoken nearby followed by the thud of a car door closing. He saw two pair of shoes on the pavement; they were going to the rear. They went to different sides. Alfonzo gestured to Giuseppe to take the man on the right and quietly mouthed, “We keep them alive, for now.”
Alfonzo figured the kidnapper might expect a call once they secured the loot and since they didn’t know who the lead man was, it’s best to be prudent and spare them both until the call got made. Giuseppe smirked, then like panthers hidden in shadow, they struck. Alfonzo caught the man around the neck in a chokehold and flexed with all his might until the guy slumped forward unconscious. He observed the action taking place across the seat and frowned because Giuseppe had a knife to the man’s throat and sliced it open. That wasn’t the plan. “Geo why the hell did you kill him, what did we agree?”
“I didn’t agree. Did you hear a yes? This is the man who hurt the boy.”
“How do you know?”
“I know. Look at his hand. There are fresh cuts on the knuckles. When you punch a man in the mouth it happens. I punch the throat or eye instead.”
“Geez, cugino. He’s useless now. Put him in the other car before he bleeds all over the place you goddamn psycho.”
“Ah, cugino I believe you have the title of Crazy Blue Eyes.” He laughed as he gripped the man around the waist. He spun the corpse around to the other car and reached for the door handle. He then dumped the body unceremoniously on to backseat.
“Check his pockets for a phone or anything useful.” He ordered his cousin as he did the same to the unconscious man. Alfonzo found a cell, gun and keys then used the rope they’d placed in the cargo section to bind the man’s hands and feet. He kept checking for anyone approaching or possible witnesses as they worked quickly. To an observer or passer-by they were men looking in their car for something.
Giuseppe, found a gun, on the man, but he left it. No need for his fingerprints to be on anything. He closed the backdoor and wiped the handle with an antibacterial wipe he found in the car then climbed into the rear of the SUV with the bound man crumpled on the floor.
Alfonzo started the vehicle and they sped out the parking lot and within seconds were on the entry ramp to the Long Island Expressway going east. He spoke loudly, aware Nico was listening. “We’re done. Aaron’s safe. We’re on your heels.”
They were with the flow of traffic and at this time of night on a Sunday, it moved at a steady pace. All-in-all, the entire job took less than ten minutes. Now they were in a race to get to Darren before his abductor realized something wasn’t right. The Hamptons was over an hour’s drive and in that time anything might happen. But, Nico had a good head start and Alfonzo was certain he was speeding down the highway like a bat out of hell.
****
Gregory made sure the kid was tied to a chair. He wasn’t taking any more chances with the boy. Once the money came, he’d have one of the guys bury the little troublemaker in a ditch. Such a shame, though. He liked Ariana. She was one hot attorney. He hadn’t expected to care for the woman as much as he did. It was by a fluke he discovered she had millions of dollars secreted in accounts and her ex-husband was a crook and a killer. She’d gone out to get breakfast one morning after they spent alone time in her apartment and he decided to go for a shower in her absence. He passed the dresser and noticed a Dissolution of Marriage document lying there. She’d gotten one of those quickie Caribbean divorces in Barbados and being nosy he read the darn thing. When he saw the name Nico Serano, it sounded vaguely familiar.
He worked years ago in the District Attorney’s office and that name was mentioned in one of their cases. It was a double-homicide in Brooklyn and the twins names came up. He searched his memory and it all came back. Nico and Vincent Serano were enforcers from Italy. They were seen in town at the home of one of the victim’s sisters and the DA had been looking for a possible connection. A hit for insurance money, maybe, but of course the theory hadn’t panned out and the apprehension of the murderer, some guy name Freddie closed the case.
He did some more snooping and found an account record for deposits totaling over a hundred million dollars in her desk and that’s when greed became his obsession. He woke up with money on his mind, went to sleep dreaming about what he could do with that much cash. After that, every time he looked at Ariana, he saw financial freedom and began plotting. The guys he hired were hungry. They were desperate men and he needed guys like these to carry-out his plan. He promised them five million each and that’s a lot to a broke man. He met a few of the guys at a casino in Vegas a month ago and told them he could get his hands on a large amount of cash, but they had to do something illegal and they bit. They’d lost all their money at the tables and with wife and kids they saw it as an opportunity to finally stop dreaming and live a life of luxury. There were the two brothers, Steve and Mark who were heavy gamblers and by all definition, ultimate risk takers. He hired Carl, an ex-convict as muscle and regret it the moment he beat on the kid. Jack was an old friend from High School, a down on his luck unemployed banker, who once brought home six figures until the economy took a dive and all his investments were wiped out, leaving him in heavy debt and sinking deeper each month.
This was Gregory’s motley crew and when it was over they were going to be rich, at least that was the plan. Unfortunately, kidnapping was one thing and murder another. The kid saw him and Jack. Carl he didn’t give two shits about, he intended to get rid of him anyway. Killing a kid just wasn’t factored in, until now.
He told Ariana he had to go to Tokyo on business for about a week and she didn’t question it. He gained her trust which is all he needed to implement his plan. He stayed out of sight until it was time to act. Once he left the ransom note the other stuff clicked into place. When Jack worried about her going to the police he laughed. “She’s a crooked lawyer who launders money and her ex-husband is a killer. She’s not going to the cops!”
“What about the ex-husband?”
“He’d have to find us first. We’re not leaving him any clues to do that. He’ll probably think it’s got something to do with his line of work. He’ll be busy following dead-ends and by then we’ll be on the beach sipping rum and coke.”
Yes, the plan was going well until the boy decided to make a run for it. Gregory didn’t have a choice anymore in this particular situation. He had to do away with Ariana’s boy and he felt bad. Yes, he did because he didn’t want to hurt the woman or the kid. He only wanted her money.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Giuseppe’s cell rang and he leaned against the seat, putting a booted foot on the man beginning to stir on the floor. Ah, the dumb shit was awake. He would have a bit of fun with him, but first he had to take the call from his mother. “Ciao mamma, come stai?”
“Non é buon figlio. Not good at all. We have trouble.”
Giuseppe kicked the man in the face when he tried to sit up and he fell back down. “Tell me mamma.”
“Matteo’s hurt very badly. Benaducci and his sons have retaliated.”
“I will be home soon mamma.”
“Bene.”
After the call with his mothe
r, Giuseppe’s mood turned grave. He had overstayed in America. A short visit had turned into days. He should have left much sooner. His guards were with Nico and after this job he would fly immediately home. He addressed his cousin, “Cugino, after we are done I must leave.”
“Is everything okay at home?” Alfonzo asked as they neared their exit.
“My former friend’s family has come looking for me and found Matteo instead.”
Alfonzo nodded, “Are you going to need my help?”
“I will be fine.”
Alfonzo nodded. He navigated the dark circular turn doing eighty and continued down a long stretch of road lined by trees. Another fifteen minutes or so and they would reach their destination. “When you get home, give me a call if that changes. You hear me Geo?”
Giuseppe assured him he would then he contacted his pilot and ordered him to prepare for an immediate departure. He spoke swiftly in Italian instructing the pilot to fly the plane from Puerto Rico into New Jersey and buzz when he arrived. Giuseppe calculated by then, either he would be dead or the job would be completed. The outcome could be either.
They soon pulled to the rendezvous spot, located the SUV and found it empty. Nico and the others had gone ahead without them. Alfonzo cut the bindings at their captive’s feet, “How many are in the house?”
“Four.”
“Where’s the boy?”
“Upstairs in the bedroom. First door on the right.”
“How much were you promised?”
“Five million.”
Giuseppe laughed at this, “You should have asked for more. The boy is worth much more. But then again you were stupid to have snatched my cousin’s son.”
The fear in the man’s eyes was not lost on Alfonzo. The man should be afraid. He was about to die. The Bowie knife slit him open from navel to chest and only stopped when it impacted hard bone. He pulled the man’s body several feet then tossed it in a line of thickets. Five million goddamn dollars. The photograph of the Sudanese child was the image ingrained in his brain. What some men will do to exploit a child. The dummy didn’t deserve to live. He forfeits life the second he abducts any of their children. “Let’s go.” He said to Giuseppe then together they rushed through the trees. In the distance they saw the lights from the occupied home and hoped Nico had rescued Darren, otherwise it would be a sad return home.
